With all the questions about the HB model at SDCC, Bill from design was kind enough to chime in with some details!
1.The final board, like the looks-like from SDCC, DOES have the pink Velcro stripes on the top deck
2.The final board does NOT have the green zig-zag Velcro stripe on the top deck; though we looked at different ways to add it, in the end
to manufacture/assemble it we would need to both add a recessed channel for the Velcro to sit in, and split up the deck label to accommodate
that channel. We cannot attach the Velcro to a smooth top surface and have it pass our quality tests- otherwise we would have done it.
when choosing between no Velcro on the green stripe or cutting the deck label up into multiple small pieces, all with a gap around them, we
elected to deliver the best aesthetic and not have the green Velcro stripe.
3.The footpad disc IS a separate piece on the model we saw, and the stripe on top of it IS Velcro… again, for production we needed to allow for a gap
around the velcro’s recessed channel, which is why the Velcro does NOT run all the way to the edge… this is a manufacturing limitation
4.As noted in some of the fan post, the spacing on the words “Hover Board” on the top deck are more accurate on the “looks like” model from SDCC, which is what the production version will have
5.As noted in some of the fan posts, the yellow area of the top deck label is accurate on the “looks like” model; again, this is what the production version will look like
6.The top deck label DOES have the “pill” texture as shown in the “looks like” model, and we are printing it on foil to heighten the reflective effect, which we have not yet shown to the public (or seen ourselves on a sample). The models we reviewed that Bob Gale brought in did NOT have a lenticularpattern sticker; they featured a PHOTO of whatever the original sticker material that was used on the initial hoverboard model.
7.The footstrap on the foot pad presents a different issue. Although pictures of the hover board used on screen show it as having pink fur, and
we initially had a pink fur strap, we revised it to pink VELCRO hook side out after reviewing with the film makers, who specified this construction.
Although this is a thorny situation and I would not use this information to try to “get us off the hook”, I think we are in a situation similar to 12" Zod- we followed information from the best source for accuracy, but it is NOT accurate to the most commonly known version of the Hover Board
to fans. At this late date, I don’t think we can revise the material without slipping schedule.
8.The scale of the “pill” texture looks big in the photo… We will look to see if we can adjust this in the art.
9.I didn’t see an image in Grant Carden’s post, so I’m not sure about the inaccuracies of the maglev pads and brackets- was he looking at the “works like” or “looks like”? I know we DID measure both elements off of the boards Bob Gale and Michael Lantieri brought in, and revised the sculpt from what we showed at NY Toy Fair to be accurate to what we saw.
Hope this helps to explain where we’re coming from and why we made the decisions we did… a hand- made prop versus a mass- produced production item are two very different things, and unfortunately there are certain challenges and allowance for mass production.
If we CAN address points 7 and 8 above we will certainly do so, but know we are "still making changes” and more to “the demo model was NOT what we’re doing, and the “looks like” model was a MUCH closer representation, though even THAT isn’t completely finalized (foil printing) and there are certain manufacturing allowances (outlined above) that dictate aesthetics” we might move ourselves into a more favorable position.